The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-05
THE AMERICAN GIRL.
London Daily Telegraph.

AVuuoA AoiAy Aoto&HaVu.
 Whatever the American girl does Is of distinct interest to the observer of social phenomena. She invades us season after season with the sweet in- trusiveness of tte swallow. She is at St. James'-not unfrequently be- comes a permanent and recognized beauty, pervades drawing rooms, and as rule fiips up our wonted insular demure propriety with the various novelties of her ideas, her conduct, and her adjectives, She has rapidly found her way into our literature indeed, no modern novel can we'll be said to Dc complete without her. From the days of that weird and mysterious creation of the "Autocrat of the Breakfast Table," "Elsie Ven ner," to Mir. James delicate notion of wayward and lovable Daisy Miller" and Ouida's conception of Fuchsia Ledch, we have recognized as all-im- portant personages the maidens from the republic far over the sea. They are interesting in so far as their sprightliness, vivacity, and general revolt against conventionality con- trast with the traditional dignity and we'll composure of our young ladies at home. To the American girl is largely due the present taste tor tobogganing, the switchbaek, the surprise" party, and the now almost extinct form of mental gymnastics known as the spelling bee. Her con yersation is catching, and not few on this side have derived some tricks ot speech from her ceaseless prattle, and talk of "side- paths" 'road-cars, ' [sic "striking"-t. C., coming across "a hanson. Indeed, it needs little store of example to bring home the fact that her ways and manners dc influence and infuse themselves into English lite; SO 1t behoves people to watch with wary eve all her doings Her latest notion, however, is some what alarming, and, though il has not, SO far, taken root over here, il would be wise to guard against the innovation. It seems, if we are to believe recent advices from New York, that the young ladies of tho Empire City have grown weary oi collecting stamps, crests, photographs and autographs. The old poetry album" where people wrote im- promptu verse, went out with Ton Moore, and, though birthday booki and "contession' books still holc sway, the New York belle will hay, .,f1 ( al. the social war path, and has added , new terror to life by starting wha are known as "hair albums. Thes' fair young scalp -hunters-or per, haps, to borrow word from tn, mysteries of the perruquier, we mighi more properly christen them scalp. etters"-go about the world begging for locks of hair from all their friendi of the sterner sex. The shade of tn, late Mir. Alexander Pope might wei rise in crooked backed astonishmeni to find that his beloved Belinda had started prolonged and organized re. venge for the poetical purloining oi her tresses immortalized in "The Rapt of the Lock" True, Belinda wa, asleep at that memorable moment and, moreover, certain elves and fairies lent magic glamour to the pro- cess '; but the modern averaging Belinda waits for no man to slee }, and invokes no fay or sprite. In open day she meets her victim, and with A capti- vating coT bination of smile and scis- sors, says, "A lock or your life !' What can the poor dude" or "masher" do but meekly obey the mandate of the bandit maiden! Doubtless he submissively kneels and is shorn, and then, rising like some enfeebled Sampson from the presence of the Delilah of Fifth avenue, would fain retire and hide from the Philis- fines